Waistband construction

ABSTRACT

The waistband of trousers is made responsive, within limits, to increase and decrease of the girth of the wearer, by means of a construction including a member which is stretchable lengthwise, and where such member provides stretchability in the girth of the wearer, while being substantially inelastic, or at most somewhat bendable, transversely of the girth of the wearer, and assembling this member with the body fabric of the garment at what amounts to the waist of a garment, so that the entire stretching construction will hold the member concealed while it still remains responsive to changes in the circumference at the waist, as well as to bending movements, of the wearer.

1451 Mar. 11, 1975 United States Patent [191 Spencer l/l974 Campbell ct4] WAISTBAND CONSTRUCTION Primary ExaminerH. Hampton Hunter- Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Henry L. Burkitt Inventor: Benjamin F. Spencer,Manhattan.

[73] Assignee: Spencer Industries, Inc., New York,

[57] ABSTRACT The waistband of trousers is made responsive, withinlimits, to increase and decrease of the girth of the wearer, by means ofa construction in J4 o N .ml p

eluding a member which is stretchable lengthwise, and where such 726 3N3W 1m A a 6 2 7 m l u 2 n 2 m 7 3 2 M mmh c "I "ma e NS C .w m.w UIF ll]2 00 555 [ll [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS a garment, sothat the entire stretching construction will hold the member concealedwhile it still remains responsive to changes in the circumference at theas well as to bending movements, of the wearer.

12 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures w 7667 3333 2222 ///l 2222 v mvwm e r sr meae anvn i i PMNM 0492 6667 9999 illl 25 d u ildhibi-HEIPQBQQFY iln lulii hlh n lib i ATENTED 1197' SHEET 1 BF 2 1 WAISTBAND CONSTRUCTION Theinvention relates to waistband construction, particularly in articles ofapparel such as slacks, garmentssometimes identified as shorts, skirtsfor women, or like garments, where a waistband construction is used toassure that the garment will fit substantially snugly at the waist ofthe wearer. For purposes of clarity, the term, trousers, will be usedherein to apply to all such types of garments.

In the depiction of the invention on the drawing, the construction isespecially applied in connection with trousers made of what is commonlyknown as double knit fabric, where the body fabric of the trousers, bythe method of manufacture of the fabric, is inherently elastic, or, atleast, stretchable. In the case of such fabric, variable degrees ofstretch may be obtained by reason of the method of manufacture of thebase fabric as well as the method of cutting the fabric to providesections which, when finally sewed together, produce the base body,and-usually the leg portions, of the trousers. However, in most cases,the fabric itself, and thus the body and leg portions of the trousers,are stretchable or elastic in a pluraility of directions at least insome degree, so as to be extensible around the waist and in the seat ofthe wearer as well as substantially in a direction transversely of theextent of the waist.

It is an object of the invention to provide a waistband for trousersconstruction in which the construction of such waistbands, whilepermitting a limited degree of elongation of the waistband, still hassufficient elasticity to return the fabric of the trousers at thewaistband to a snug relationship to the waist of the wearer as the girthof the waist of the wearer changes, or as the wearer moves, or both, andyet such elasticity or stretchability, in the construction beingprovided, will not result in the loss of a certain degree of rigidityfor the waistband of the trousers, to prevent curling or othermisshaping'of the fabric at the waistband of the trousers.

It is an object of the invention to provide, for the construction of thetrousers, which may be made of fabric which, as an inherent property,permits stretchability, a waistband construction in which the waistbandis relatively firm and thus functions to resist deformation of thetrousers at and transversely of the waistband, and yet permitselongation of the waistband around the waist of the wearer, and wherethere is sufficient elasticity so that, when worn, the garment as itswaistband will be snug on the waist of the wearer.

It is an object of the invention to provide a waistband for a trousersconstruction where a member, incorporated into and made an integral partof the waistband, is anchored to the body fabric of the waistband insuch manner that the member may permit elastic or stretching movement ofthe trousers fabric at the waistband, and yet will prevent the fabric atthe waistband from becoming deformed transversely of the extend of thewaistband, and where the member is anchored to the fabric of the body ofthe trousers so that the body fabric will in turn impose a limit to thepossible expansibility of the waistband, and also will anchor the memberso as to impart the desired firmness to the waistband transversely ofthe waist of the wearer.

It is an object of the invention to provide, in a structure such ashereinbefore set forth, means by which the construction of the memberfor imparting firmness to the waistband is completely concealed, and, atthe same time, is positioned so that the nether garments of the wearerare not in any manner engaged by the specific elements of the waistbandmember which imparts both elasticity and firmness to the waistband.

Other objects of the invention will be set forth hereinafter, or will beapparent from the description and the drawings, in which is illustratedan embodiment exemplifying the invention.

The invention, however, is not intended to be restricted to anyparticular construction, or any particular arrangement of parts, or anyparticular application of any such construction or arrangement of parts,or any specific method of operation or use, or any of the variousdetails thereof, even where specifically shown and described herein,asthe same may be modified in various particulars, or may be applied inmany varied relations, without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe claimed invention, of which the exemplifying embodiment, hereinshown and described, is intended only to be illustrative, and only forthe purpose of complying with the requirements of the Statutes fordisclosure of an operative embodiment, but not to show all the variousforms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied.

On the drawings, in which the same reference characters refer to thesame parts throughout, and in which is disclosed such a practicalconstruction,

FIG. I is an elevational view of a portion of a pair of trousers, shownbroken away in its length, and into which certain features of theinvention have been embodied;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, to enlarged scale, of a portion of thetrousers of FIG. 1, at the inside face of the portion including thewaistband of the trousers and with parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is a detail cross-sectional view, to substantially an increasedenlarged scale, substantially on the line 3-3 of F IG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a portion of a member which is to beused in imparting firmness and capability of elongation to the waistbandof the trousers;

FIG. 5 is a similar view, but to a much larger scale, of a small sectionof such member, the section including one edge of such member; and

FIG. 6' is a detail cross-sectional view, substantially on the line 6-6of FIG. 5.

On the drawing, there is depicted a portion 10 of a trousersconstruction, consisting of a waistband construction l2, and a bodyportion 14 from which may extend leg portions 16 (only one being shown).For purposes of simplification, when body portion 14 is referred to, itis intended that it be understood that this body portion 14 may have legportions 16 extending therefrom; however, it is to be understood thatthe construction to which the invention is applicable may be a skirtformation depending from such a waistband construction 12. Also, it isconceivable that there be many other variations in the use of such awaistband construction, as, for instance, where the waistbandconstruction is the topmost portion of a pair of shorts, where the legportions may be substantially of no considerable length.

In the description here, only certain details of waistband construction12 will be emphasized; details of a waistband construction, forinstance, where a fly portion (not shown) may be included, in accordancewith certain desired structural purposes, will not be discussed. insubstantially all details, waistband structure 12, such as is to bedescribed, may be used to effect certain of the purposes of theinvention.

Body portion 14, indicated on the drawing, may be made of the type offabric generally known as double knit. At the top edge of body portion14 (see FIG. 3) is positioned a separate piece of material which may beseamed to the fabric making up body portion 14, this separate piece ofmaterial thus providing the outside face 18 of waistband construction12. Now the fabric of body portion 14 and of waistband construction 12may be seamed together, as at 20. In the process of manufacture, it maybe found more desirable to assemble different parts of waistbandconstruction 12 before its assembly finally is sewed together with bodyportion 14. For this purpose, a length of a specially designed waistbandliner 22 may first be associated with fabric 24 for which the character18 indicates the outer face.

A piece 26 of lining material is secured at the bottom edge 27 of liner22. For this purpose, piece 26 is folded back on itself. Bottom edge 27of liner 22 is located between the free ends 28 of folded piece 26.

Another piece 30 of lining material is folded on itself, and its freeends 32 are positioned in juxtaposition to, and so asto be substantiallyat the same level as are ends 28 with relation to, bottom edge 27.Finally, another piece 34 is cut to be of a length substantially to befitted together with the width of liner 22 in the manner to bedescribed. One end 36 of piece 34 is laid against the superimposed ends28 and 32 and the nested bottom edge 27; a single line of chainstitching 37 is used to secure pieces 26, 30 and 34 to bottom edge 27.It is to be noted that pieces 26, 30 and 34 may be woven fabric, and thepieces may be cut on the bias. I Top free end 38 of piece 34 is foldedback on itself, and laid against the down folded upper edge 40 of fabric24. Into pocket 42, produced by the down folding of upper edge 40, theupper edge 43 of liner 22 is seated. At this time, body portion 14 andfabric 24 have not as yet been secured to each other at seam 20. Asingle seam 44 is caught through folded end 38, end portion 48 of fabric24, and liner 22 close to its top edge 43. The stitching may be chainstitching to permit stretching.

End 45 of fabric 24 and portion 14 are located to be and are stitchedtogether by seam 20 close to their end edges. A single chain stitch seam52 may be caught through piece 26 close to its folded end 54, and, as ablindstitch, engage in body fabric 14 below the seamed together portionsof body fabric 14 and fabric 24.

Thus, piece 26 provides an anchor to hold liner 22 in place; yet,because of the inherent elastic character of chain stitch seam 52, liner22 may function for the purpose of imparting a somewhat rigid effecttransversely of waistband construction 12, while, at the same time, alsoimparting substantial elasticity lengthwise of waistband construction12. For the purpose of elasticity, liner 22 includes a number of elasticstrands 56 extending lengthwise of the liner. The strands are spacedapart in the width of the liner. In the instance shown, elastic strands58 and 60 are positioned at the very edges 62 and 64 of the liner Atsubstantially equal intervals transversely of the liner, other strands56 are located. Strands 56 are spaced a substantial distance apart. Thisspacing may be variable, according to the purposes to be obtained. In aspecific structure, the spacings with one-eighth inch, three-sixteenthinch, and one-fourth 7 inch.

The strands are kept separated from each other by an interlaced network66 consisting of thin plastic fibers 68. Now these fibers have the formof a woven fabric, with the exception that these fibers do not followthe usual pattern of a weft of woven material, but extend angularly withrelation to strands 56. The result is the illustrated intermeshednetwork '66. Although these fibers may be of plastic filaments, othermaterials may be used to produce network 66. It is important thatfibers68 impart substantial resistance to deformation, of the substantiallyflat liner 22, in the final'assembly. This may not be the condition whenfibers 68 are interwoven with strands 56. Fibers 68 actually pass aroundstrands 58 and 60, just as normally woven threads pass around theselvage threads of a woven fabric. However, by a process, as, forinstance, by the application of heat, fibers 68 are set so as to obtaina structure which resists any attempt to distort the fibers from therelatively flat form in which network 66 finally functions in member 22.

In the final construction of liner 22, if a force is applied to distendliner 22 lengthwise, fibers 68, with distention of strands 56, willassume a form where fibers 68 move lengthwise of liner 22 and attain amuch sharper angle where fibers 68 cross strands 56, with consequentreduction in the width of liner 22. lnactual use as a part of waistband12, no such extreme distortion of liner 22 actually takes place. But asmall distention in length of liner 22 actually takes place when thetrousers are worn, since waistband construction 12 is not distended toany great degree. Of course, with changes in the length of waistbandconstruction 12, as, for instance, after a meal, when the girth of thewearer may increase almost imperceptibly, some elongation of liner 22will take place. When the reverse change in the girth of the wearertakes place later, the elasticity of strands 56 will return liner 22 tothe length it previously had, and fibers 68 also will move back into aless distended position.

Thus, liner 22, anchored in the'manner described,

and with its inherent elasticity and rigidity, will accommodate itselfto the waist of a wearer so that waistband construction 12 will atsubstantially all times fit snugly around the waist of the wearer, andwill resist any force which attempts to curl the waistband constructionacross its width.

Many other changes could be effected in the particu-v lar construction,and in the method of use and construction, and in specific detailsthereof, hereinbefore set forth, without substantially departing fromthe invention intended to be defined herein, the specific descriptionbeing merely of an embodiment capable of illustrating certain principlesof the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property isclaimed are defined as follows:

1. In a garment having an upper section intended to encircle the waistof a wearer, the garment including body fabric formed to provide theouter exposed body encasing portion of the garment, a waistbandconstruction for the garment, the waistband construction including theupper portion of said formed body portion, a band extensible elasticallylengthwise of the waistband, the band being relatively unstretchable inits width, said body fabric being folded over at its upper extremity anddownwardly within the garment for a short distance to form a pocket, theupper edge of said band being fitted into said pocket, a plurality ofbias cut fabric pieces, extensible means for securing the bias piecestogether and to said band closely adjacent to the bottom edge of saidband, one of said bias cut pieces extending upwardly from its securementpositionto conceal the band and the bias cut pieces securing means, saidone bias cut piece having its top edge secured to the folded overfabric, the bias cut pieces securing means being secured to said bandabove its bot tom edge, a second one of said bias cut pieces extendingfrom the position of securement adjacent the bottom edge of said bandand being separately extensibly secured to said body fabric to hold theband in position to permit the band to transmit its elastic effect tosaid waistband.

2. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material ofopenwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part ofthe waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around thewaist.

3. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material ofopenwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part ofthe waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around thewaist, the top edge of said one fabric piece being folded, and the meansfor securing the one bias cut fabric piece to the folded over fabriccomprising extensi' ble stitching.

4. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material ofopenwork construction where the material, when assembled as'a part ofthe waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around thewaist, the top edge of said one fabric piece being folded, and the meansfor securing the one bias cut fabric piece to the folded over fabriccomprising extensible stitching engaged through the folded over fabricand also the band in the pocket.

5. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material ofopenwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part ofthe waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around thewaist, said body fabric being of knitted construction and beingstretchable in both the length and in the width of said waistband.

6. In a garment as defined in claim 1, said body fabric being of knittedconstruction and being stretchable in both the length and in the widthof said waistband.

7. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the top edge of said one fabricpiece being folded, and the means for securing the one bias cut fabricpiece to the folded over fabric comprising extensible stitching engagedthrough the folded over fabric and also the band in the pocket, and themeans for securing the second bias cut piece to the body fabric beingalso of extensible stitching.

8. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the top edge of said one fabricpiece being folded, and the means for securing the one bias cut fabricpiece to the folded over fabric comprising extensible stitching engagedthrough the folded over fabric and also the band in the pocket, and themeans for securing the second bias cut piece to the body fabric beingalso of extensible stitching, and a third bias cut piece depending fromthe bias cut pieces securing means to conceal the engagement of thesecond bias cut piece with the body fabric.

9. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material ofopenwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part ofthe waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around thewaist, the openwork material being formed of plastic strands extendingsubstantially parallel to each other with definite spaces betweenadjacent strands, and having filaments extending in the length of theband and engaged with the strands, the filaments themselves beingpositively elastic.

10. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material ofopenwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part ofthe waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around thewaist, the openwork material being formed of plastic strands extendingsubstantially parallel to each other with definite spaces betweenadjacent strands, and having filaments extending in the length of theband and engaged with the strands, the filaments themselves beingpositively elastic, the strands being substantially inelastic but beingof relatively nonlinear form to pro vide for limited elongation.

11. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band being substantiallyfirm but flexible and resilient in its width.

12. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material ofopenwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part ofthe waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around thewaist, the top edge of said one fabric piece being folded, and the meansfor securing the one bias cut fabric piece to the folded over fabriccomprising extensi ble stitching engaged through the folded over fabricand also the band in the pocket, the band being substantially firm butflexible and resilient in its width to resist curling of the waistbandwhile not interfering with the movement of the body of the wearer at thewaist, and normally tending to resume the substantially straight linecross-section of its width.

Patent No. 5,869,728 Dated March 11, 1975 Inventor( jamin F. Spencer Itis certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 57, "extend" should be extent Column 2, line 60, "shorts'should read "shorts" Column 3, line 5, "double" should read "double"line 6 "knit" shouldread knit last line "with" should read were Signedand sealed this 27th day .of May 1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

C. MARSHALL DANN RUTH C. MASON Commissioner of Patents Attesting-Officer and Trademarks FORM PC4050 (10-69) -gc 50375-p59 us GOVERNMENTPRINYING OFFICE: 930

1. In a garment having an upper section intended to encircle the waistof a wearer, the garment including body fabric formed to provide theouter exposed body encasing portion of the garment, a waistbandconstruction for the garment, the waistband construction including theupper portion of said formed body portion, a band extensible elasticallylengthwise of the waistband, the band being relatively unstretchable inits width, said body fabric being folded over at its upper extremity anddownwardly within the garment for a short distance to form a pocket, theupper edge of said band being fitted into said pocket, a plurality ofbias cut fabric pieces, extensible means for securing the bias piecestogether and to said band closely adjacent to the bottom edge of saidband, one of said bias cut pieces extending upwardly from its securementposition to conceal the band and the bias cut pieces securing means,said one bias cut piece having its top edge secured to the folded overfabric, the bias cut pieces securing means being secured to said bandabove its bottom edge, a second one of said bias cut pieces extendingfrom the position of securement adjacent the bottom edge of said bandand being separately extensibly secured to said body fabric to hold theband in position to permit the band to transmit its elastic effect tosaid waistband.
 1. In a garment having an upper section intended toencircle the waist of a wearer, the garment including body fabric formedto provide the outer exposed body encasing portion of the garment, awaistband construction for the garment, the waistband constructionincluding the upper portion of said formed body portion, a bandextensible elastically lengthwise of the waistband, the band beingrelatively unstretchable in its width, said body fabric being foldedover at its upper extremity and downwardly within the garment for ashort distance to form a pocket, the upper edge of said band beingfitted into said pocket, a plurality of bias cut fabric pieces,extensible means for securing the bias pieces together and to said bandclosely adjacent to the bottom edge of said band, one of said bias cutpieces extending upwardly from its securement position to conceal theband and the bias cut pieces securing means, said one bias cut piecehaving its top edge secured to the folded over fabric, the bias cutpieces securing means being secured to said band above its bottom edge,a second one of said bias cut pieces extending from the position ofsecurement adjacent the bottom edge of said band and being separatelyextensibly secured to said body fabric to hold the band in position topermit the band to transmit its elastic effect to said waistband.
 2. Ina garment as defined in claim 1, the band Comprising material ofopenwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part ofthe waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around thewaist.
 3. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprisingmaterial of openwork construction where the material, when assembled asa part of the waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinallyaround the waist, the top edge of said one fabric piece being folded,and the means for securing the one bias cut fabric piece to the foldedover fabric comprising extensible stitching.
 4. In a garment as definedin claim 1, the band comprising material of openwork construction wherethe material, when assembled as a part of the waistband, is elasticsubstantially only longitudinally around the waist, the top edge of saidone fabric piece being folded, and the means for securing the one biascut fabric piece to the folded over fabric comprising extensiblestitching engaged through the folded over fabric and also the band inthe pocket.
 5. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprisingmaterial of openwork construction where the material, when assembled asa part of the waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinallyaround the waist, said body fabric being of knitted construction andbeing stretchable in both the length and in the width of said waistband.6. In a garment as defined in claim 1, said body fabric being of knittedconstruction and being stretchable in both the length and in the widthof said waistband.
 7. In a garment as defined in claim 1, the top edgeof said one fabric piece being folded, and the means for securing theone bias cut fabric piece to the folded over fabric comprisingextensible stitching engaged through the folded over fabric and also theband in the pocket, and the means for securing the second bias cut pieceto the body fabric being also of extensible stitching.
 8. In a garmentas defined in claim 1, the top edge of said one fabric piece beingfolded, and the means for securing the one bias cut fabric piece to thefolded over fabric comprising extensible stitching engaged through thefolded over fabric and also the band in the pocket, and the means forsecuring the second bias cut piece to the body fabric being also ofextensible stitching, and a third bias cut piece depending from the biascut pieces securing means to conceal the engagement of the second biascut piece with the body fabric.
 9. In a garment as defined in claim 1,the band comprising material of openwork construction where thematerial, when assembled as a part of the waistband, is elasticsubstantially only longitudinally around the waist, the openworkmaterial being formed of plastic strands extending substantiallyparallel to each other with definite spaces between adjacent strands,and having filaments extending in the length of the band and engagedwith the strands, the filaments themselves being positively elastic. 10.In a garment as defined in claim 1, the band comprising material ofopenwork construction where the material, when assembled as a part ofthe waistband, is elastic substantially only longitudinally around thewaist, the openwork material being formed of plastic strands extendingsubstantially parallel to each other with definite spaces betweenadjacent strands, and having filaments extending in the length of theband and engaged with the strands, the filaments themselves beingpositively elastic, the strands being substantially inelastic but beingof relatively non-linear form to provide for limited elongation.
 11. Ina garment as defined in claim 1, the band being substantially firm butflexible and resilient in its width.